Why use an electronic Permit to Work system?

Why are businesses still so reliant on paper-based permit to work systems?

The traditional, current Permits to Work are a paper-based system, which offers plenty of scope for improvement. Permit To Work (PTW) refers to management systems used to ensure that work is done safely and efficiently. These are used in hazardous industries and involve procedures to request, review, authorise, document and most importantly, de-conflict tasks to be carried out by front line workers.

Paper-based

It’s difficult to imagine an area of our society which has not been positively impacted by digitalisation. While we can be resistant to change at times, industry has evolved through making changes. Which begs to ask the question, why has PTW not been digitalised across the workplace. Surely, your employee’s safety is of utmost importance?

PTW has been paper-based in the past, providing the documented procedures used to control high-risk activities. However, the limitations paper has acquired over the years has invoked a disconnection between policies and what’s happening on the ground, leaving workers unprotected and duty holders exposed. Reduced speed and transparency are just two of many limitations of paper resulting in insufficient data at the point of decision-making. These limitations can result in corners being cut and processes circumvented when under pressure. An Operative with paper in his hand stating ‘it’s safe to work’ often concludes that to be the case even when it may not be. Even where the procedures are strictly adhered to as designed, a paper-based process still lacks the reporting and auditing capabilities required in a modern business. This is when electronic permits or e-permits become valuable. They can emulate the positive ‘design’ aspects of existing PTW processes while eliminating the operational issues of paper.

Electronic-based

Using an electronic PTW system offers some crucial benefits over a paper system. It is the difference between achieving operational excellence and operational adequacy. The benefits include:

Easier management of permits by a group of staff including Risk and Method Statements.

Managers have full visibility and “are able to see the status of all permits

Permits that are of interest to them, upcoming expirations and potential works conflict are automatically identified

Mobility – users and managers can manage permits while on the move (worldwide)

More accurate compliance with health and safety

Increased functionality to manage work and risk

Significantly easier and faster to use

Complex works that may require multiple permits can be grouped by the system

No need for re-writing duplicate permits when a permit needs to be reissued or extended.

Permits are quicker to find through search functionalities

Another big advantage of e-PTW systems is their power to share information, together with its ease of access and visibility. This, along with automated communication features such as notifying people who need to be involved and providing a rapid route to the information they need to see, is a major benefit for work control

You can find out more on our electronic Permit to Work system by visiting our Q4 Control of Work page.

Why not book a demo and experience how our evolving digital technologies will impact your business for the better?

Access and feedback critical information wherever you are

Q4‘s dynamic user accessibility and business intelligence empowers your workforce to efficiently record data and obtain critical information wherever they are working, on whichever devices they choose to use.

The Q4 Smart Mobile platform delivers task-based operations to operate flawlessly with the Q4 Digital Work Control web-based solutions. Q4 Smart Mobile Apps allow users to work in areas of poor or no connectivity to progress work, perform safety measures and synchronize information back to the core system when connectivity is resumed.

Front line to the control room
For connected devices, the main Q4 Digital Work Control with its responsive design can be viewed across many device formats. The functionality of Q4 Smart-Mobile Apps are designed to complement the processes of the central solution. Particularly for targeted tasks where the user could be remote or in an area with limited connectivity to the central solution.
With cross platform support and consistent Apps across all platforms, Q4 Apps are available to intrinsically safe devices to standard devices.

Q4 Apps adapt to different form factors, from Phone/PDA to Tablet. For our Windows (UWP) Apps there is also the ability to deploy to laptops or desktops and benefit from the disconnected functionality.

Features and Benefits

Work while disconnected from the network

Secure access to the Q4 Digital Work Control solutions

Seamless connectivity synchronizing data automatically

Capture data in the field including photographs and video

Simple, clear and consistent user interface to get tasks done

Available across the three major mobility platforms, Android, iOS and Windows

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eLearning - Webinars

Standardized eLearning and webinars for where and when

Engica provides standardized eLearning built around the Q4 Control of Work solution covering Work, Risk Assessment, Permit to Work, Isolation Management and associated supporting elements. Webinar tutorials are available on system framework enabling interactive software training provided by our experienced training personnel. These are presented using the latest version of Q4, helping to build the capability of your personnel and enabling them to work smarter.

The use of classroom, eLearning, webinar tutorials and specific client LMS can be blended to provide a schedule best suited to you and your targeted learning requirements.

Scope

Standard system videos

Adaptable to client requirements

Increase knowledge

Bespoke eLearning courses

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Implementation

Delivery Methodology

Our team-based implementation approach offers expertise that translates your requirements into reality. Engica’s methodology is focused on converting and improving current work practices into a streamlined digital workflow solution. Working closely with our customers is a crucial part of the process. We assign each client a dedicated project team who collaborate and configure your system, setup and initiate go live operation. And with our full support, we build a long-term partnership helping your business processes.

Advice on best practices and the ability to maintain control of the project via agreed milestones include the following elements:

Project elements

Site training and remote training with webinars and eLearning material

Go live and support

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Training

Best-Practice Training for Control of Work

Engica can provide classroom training based on client configured systems, appropriate for specific disciplines such as administrators, super-users (train the trainer) and end user role-based staff including Work Planners, Area Authority, Signatory, Performing Authority, Contractors and more.

Our emphasis is to improve safety for all and to promote the very best in Control of Work safety practices. We also provide go-live support where our staff are available to train and assist end-users as they start to use the system.

The use of classroom, elearning, webinar tutorials and specific client LMS can be blended to provide a schedule best suited to you and your targeted learning requirements.

Scope

Based on Engica’s in depth knowledge of Control of Work

Bespoke face-to-face training

Available on-site or at our office training facilities

Combination of classroom tuition and practical exercises

Interactive practical training using the system

Role Based Courses Include

Work Planning and Safety Assessment

Hazard Awareness

Risk Assessment

Permit to Work

Isolation Management

Notification and Awareness

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SSO (Single Sign-On) and Biometrics

Seamless Single Sign-On and Biometrics for identity management

The innovative technology behind Q4 allows businesses to be more efficient, mobile and flexible. Users have the capability to securely log on to the system from any location with a variety of different methods including Single Sign-On (SSO) and Biometrics.

SSO is supported through Active Directory or through SAML via a third-party identity provider such as OKTA. Most identity providers, including OKTA include Biometrics in their multi-factor authentication offering.

Single Sign-On (SSO)

With Q4‘s Single Sign-On (SSO) portal, users only have to enter one set of credentials to access the system in the cloud and behind the firewall via desktops, smartphones and tablets. This greatly improves user experience and increases productivity while keeping data secure.

Biometrics

Biometrics identifiers are measurable characteristics of an individual that can be used to establish and verify his/her identity.

Fingerprint single sign-on is seamlessly and fully integrated into Active Directory which enables IT administrators to centrally manage users fingerprint login information.

The software is fully configurable to support each department and users specific requirements.

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Authentication

Secure operations with two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication (also known as 2FA) is an extra layer of security designed to ensure that you’re the only person who can access your account, even if someone knows your password.

Two-factor authentication dramatically improves the security of your user account and all the information you store within Q4. Identity providers such as OKTA support multi-factor authentication.

Benefits of two-factor authentication

Strengthens security with an additional layer of protection for your business

Maintenance information immediately notifies the right people depending on the type and criticality of the diagnostic data analysis. Necessary actions can then be taken at the right time, maximising productivity.

Some examples include:

Ability to use measurement points to perform trending and defect analysis

Ability to create work orders based on a pre-set condition monitoring tolerances for a measuring point on a specific equipment

Ability to trigger generation of work order if accruement value reaches upper/lower limits

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Document Management System Integration

Support work and safety with associated documents

Documentation is one of your most valuable assets and drives opportunities throughout your organization. Q4 has the capability to interface with your existing Document Management system (DMS) and allow for documents (and their correct versions) to be linked with Work Specifications, Work Orders etc. This facilitates work preparation and supports the safe and efficient execution of work.

Reduces the risk of non-compliance. For example, records retention schedules can be automated, and new documents can be more easily classified and stored.

Integrates with a range of DMS systems including SharePoint

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Purchasing

Support all phases of enterprise-wide procurement

Create and receive against Purchase Orders (POs) and requisitions, and track and report on your purchases.

Q4 PO handles the entire process from request to receipt, invoice matching and payment. Features are provided to handle multiple currency rates and PO types for alternative companies, goods returns, adjustments, inspections and much more.

In addition the PO process flow can be configured to match precise requirements including workflow and PO hardcopy.

Key features and Benefits

Streamline purchasing and cost-effectiveness

Set department and authorisation budgets

Budget, forecast, tender, vendor and best buy appraisals

Integrates with third party financial accounting systems

Users can order parts from supplier catalogues and have these purchases reflected automatically on inventory and purchase order records from within Q4. Logical purchase processing is supported with forecasting, tendering, vendor and best buy appraisal.

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Asset Management

Streamlined Asset and Maintenance Control

Q4 CMMS delivers strategic, real-time insights and powerful tools that unite assets, work, logistics and safety to streamline work processes, reduce costs and ensure regulatory and safety compliance. Achieve the control you need to efficiently track and manage asset and location data throughout the asset life cycle.

Q4 gives you the ability to capture, define and monitor the characteristics of all types of assets and work-related information, whilst including
such time saving features as inheritance for data handling efficiency.

Key features and Benefits

Manage asset registration, integrity and performance

Integrated multi-location spares and material control

Warranty and lifecycle management

Manage contracts, services, resources and calendars

Q4 CMMS serves all industries and facilities that need to track maintenance work regardless of size or complexity.

Q4 is fully scalable from a single site to global roll-out, and ensures secure standardisation and efficiency across all locations.

Activity and risk across the organisation can be seen and managed in real-time from any location, for any site, using a PC or mobile device.

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Smart Shift Logs and Handover

Capture and transfer log information for complete plant and operation visibility and analysis

Enhance operational efficiency with streamlined transfer of information between shift teams, operators and commercial users.
Q4 Smart Log is a configurable digital logging application used to construct a range of logs that match your site’s precise requirements. Unlike paper-based, whiteboard or Office-based systems, Smart Log offers a dynamic approach to capture, access, analyse and transfer information in a structured and easy to use way.

Logs provide the facility to quickly collect, track and handover key information for all your teams:

Multiple facility / Site logs

Maintenance

Operations

Shift handover and awareness

Permits, TRA and LOTO

Incidents

Site inspections and rounds

Registers

Smart Log can be used as a standalone product or is available in the Q4 Digital Work Control system as a fully integrated facility.

Features

Log and track entries of site and department activities

Deliver/receive operational instructions acknowledgements

Utilise templates to collect, transfer and track KPIs

Define and record operational events

Record Safety Audit logs

Accident and Incident reports

Rounds and Inspections

Mobile ready

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Operational Risk Assessments

ORM supports the Control of Work with a view of active operational and task activities

Operational Risk Management (ORM) is defined as a continual cyclic process which includes risk assessment, risk decision making, and implementation of risk controls, which results in acceptance, mitigation, or avoidance of risk.

In the case of SimOps where multiple activities are occurring at the same time which often occur in shutdowns the ORM facility within Q4 can be used to join up Work Task Risk Assessments, Mitigation Barriers as well Operation Activity for a holistic view of risk producing an empirical overall risk factor for decision making.

Scope

Active Work and Scheduled Work

Active Permits and Isolations

Task Risk Assessment Evaluation

Isolation Risk Assessment

Operational Activities

Protection Inhibits

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Audits

Perform safety audits on processed documents

The Audit facility provides a formal Q&A mechanism to track individual users of the safety system.

Audits
HSE strategies can conduct audits on a predefined or random basis across documents which can be done on current or archived records within a controlled life workflow. Safety document and packages can be audited with a flexible Q&A process that provides an outcome of the status, pass/fail, outcome score, comments, performed by, date and time.

Audit Trail
To support the Q4 Audit facility, Q4 Safety automatically provides a full audit trail of document creation and state changes. During the workflow process all data changes, state-moves, authorities and recipients and time stamps are recorded. Valuable information such as who approved the permit, including concurrence and acknowledgements are easy traceable for all documents to make the audit accurate.

KPI
Audit statistics are available to keep track of safety standards and KPI indicators.

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Outage and Shutdown Management

Q4‘s industry-proven workflow engine provides powerful interactive scheduling and Gantt tools to balance work priorities, safety, spares and resources, coordinated with your planned or forced outage opportunities. Unlike other maintenance software, Q4 is a complete management solution for the entire project and asset life cycle. The system allows you to plan and execute your time-critical event.

Outage and shutdown features

Work specifications and scheduling

Outage modelling and Gantt planning

Event monitoring

Notification and awareness

Shift Logs and Handover

Mobile access and reporting

All maintenance key stages are managed via an electronic approval process, including: job detailing, estimations, materials ordering, progress recording and time recording through to quality assurance, which means all event information exists in one system and is not spread across different programs.

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Interactive P&ID (piping and instrumentation diagrams)

Turn basic P&IDs into fully interactive isolation point tools

P&IDs play a key role in operational tasks such as safety, inspections, turn-around planning and much more.

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Multi-dimensional, real-time visibility across your site

Q4‘s dynamic dashboard provides complete visibility of all work across your organisation, including where the work is taking place, who by, when, why and how.

It’s intuitive and highly configurable interface offers real-time work activity tracking, alerts and notifications. Impressive navigation is available with multiple graphical views, zoom and layers. Setup is easy and maps are fully configurable. The system can also be integrated with third-party mapping systems such as Esri’s GIS software.

Key features and benefits

Multi-level, dynamic, real-time site plan / elevation views

Time-related conflict detection and reporting

SIMOPS highlighting

Alerts and Notifications

3D Intelligent GIS points

Direct document access for high level document information

Filter capability for user defined views based on list views

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Permit to Work & Certificates

Effective Permit to Work Management

Permit to Work is a crucial part of Control of Work, the integrated management of business-critical maintenance processes.

Q4‘s Permit to Work transforms traditional paper-based Permit to Work forms into a fully traceable information system, maximising safety and optimising work efficiency.

Permit to Work Management

Custom streamlined workflow based on your procedures

Coordinated work planning, safety requests and aligned start times

Checks for Conflicts and SIMOPS

Work packaging to encapsulate all supporting permits and documentation

Q4 is designed to ensure that processes are simple, quick and reliable. The system is fully scalable to support your business as it grows.

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CoW Smart Board

Control of Work Smart Board

Q4 gives you the capability to visualise and manage your organisation’s full operational activity in real-time, from any location, from one seamlessly integrated platform.

Now in its 8th generation, Q4 incorporates industry best-practice for all aspects of asset, maintenance, inventory, procurement, cost, work and safety management into one powerful, fully integrated system.

Q4 Provides the facility to set out policies, processes and procedures to ensure you can fulfil the tasks required and achieve Operational Excellence.

Work Management

Inspection, calibration and maintenance activities

Safety critical device management

Work Packs

Work control, Permit to Work and Task Risk Assessment

Scheduling and planning

Outage Management

Supported with

Equipment and integrity management

Labour resources

Vendor management

Inventory Control

Purchasing and budgeting

Asset tracking

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Register E-Logs

Register Logs provide a common mechanism to capture Work and Safety related information

The configurable digital operations Register logbook system allows you to overcome the challenges of paper-based logs and spread silo systems, connecting information from many different sources in one central location. This facilitates real-time event visibility across your organization and also across the Q4 system, including the Control of Work applets.

Types of Registers

Inhibits

Emergency Safety Device Bypass

Flange, Blinds and Spades

Leaks and Weeps

Isolation Problems

Passing Valves

Competence Deviations

Temporary Repairs

Temporary Equipment

Inspection Rounds

Operator Rounds

Standing Orders

Sampling

Fire Extinguishers

and more…

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Competency and Skills

Register Staff and Contractors for Skills, Roles, Competency, Work Authorization and Approval

Q4 resource supports both internal and contractor personnel, roles, skills and competency all maintained with expiry, notifications and re-evaluation.

Workflow rules are available for use with the Work and Permit to Work system at assignment and issue stages, ensuring correct skills and roles are considered.

In the case of contractor personnel, the facility manages information to ensure contractors arriving on-site are compliant and working safely. This is supported via contractor’s induction, considering what they are qualified to do, who is qualified, and any other pre-requisites before site entry is granted prior to work commencing.

Features and benefits

Generate Work Orders from your maintenance system, update Q4 Permits and send data back, allowing for real time planning and work execution

View all Work items in graphical formats within Q4

SIMOPS help ensure compliance and increase safety by automating exception handling, approvals, and full audit trails across multiple applications

Flexible and configurable to suit specific business requirements

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Configuration Consultancy

Experience to Guide you on Control of Work Methods

If you are looking to change your safe system of work (be it a legacy paper system or electronic), our services can guide both system design and processes towards a more effective Control of Work solution. Using our highly experienced personnel to review existing practices we can assist with best practice, moving clients towards operational excellence.

Our services expertise results from extensive solutions exposure and detailed knowledge of the many systems that have been configured and implemented over the years to precise client and industrial requirements.

Scope

Process Review and Mapping

Gap analyses

Change Management

Workflow Analysis

Risk Assessment

Permit to Work

Isolation Management

Audits

Implementation Support

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General, Rounds and Action E-Logs

Custom Logs and Registers

The configurable digital operations general logbook system allows you to overcome the challenges of paper-based logs, spread sheets and other register systems. Connecting information from many different sources in one central location gives real-time event visibility across your organization and the Q4 system.

Q4 Smart Log for Shift, Incident, Register and General log offers a user-friendly screen designer and powerful tools to give you the capability to configure the system to meet your organization’s specific workflow processes and requirements. Create and configure custom logs or modify existing templates with your own terminology and information flow.

Q4 Smart Log can operate as a stand-alone logbook system or work with the Q4 Digital Work Control suite. It is also possible to integrate with other industry third party plant systems, so you can automatically capture and retrieve events using your existing standard interfaces.

General benefits

Create custom logs as required

Define form and data collection

Registers for O&M tracking with custom registers

Configurable workflow and approval cycle

Real-time implementation tracking

Includes commercial and technical

Authorisation

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Incident Management E-Logs

Incident Reporting Made Simple

Capture, manage and investigate incidents at the operational level. Reporting of EHS incidents or near misses can be completed on the go and from any location. Information capture includes supporting attachments, photographs and video footage. The workflow action tracking ensures that corrective measures identified in investigations are tracked until sign off. The incident desk provides information including outstanding issues and historical trends.

Types of Incidents

Agency Legal

Audit Assessment

Chemical

Emissions

Environmental Permit Deviation

Explosion

Fire

Injury Illness

Near Miss

Observation

Process Hazard Analysis

Production Loss

Property Damage

Security

Spill

Transportation

Key Benefits

Benchmark and compare incident information across the organization

Comply with standards and regulations around safety such as: RIDDOR/OSHA

Contractor portal to upload information and receive work instructions, safety requisites and confirmations

Personnel assignments and work scope

Uploading and approval of RAMS

Pre-work task risk assessment and permit requirements

Equipment and hazardous substances approval

ON-SITE

On-site personnel entrance verification

On-site induction

Work location visualization and potential conflict management

Task Risk Assessment (TRA) approval and Permit to Work (PTW) acceptance and closure

MANAGEMENT

General management of contractor status, personnel IDs and verifications

Expiry, revalidation and approvals of contractor and personnel with automated reminders

Dashboard of contractor performance KPI’s

Reporting and Audit trails

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PLC / SCADA integration

Efficient real-time information management and control for demanding operations

SCADA systems (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) are crucial for many industries as they help maintain plant efficiency, process data for smarter decisions, and communicate system issues to help mitigate downtime.

Data in a process control system can be used to cross-check information relating to process conditions, isolations and plant status. Carefully integrating the process control system with Q4 can improve the visibility of work in progress to process operators, provide early warning of abnormal hazardous plant conditions, better coordinate production and maintenance and more.

Q4 has the capability to integrate with SCADA software systems including OSI’s SCADA suite, to aid automation and raise work orders based upon condition monitoring events.

This integration enables the Process Control System (SCADA or PLC) to receive work orders from Q4, and then generate real-time process data (e.g. materials management) during production that is automatically fed back to the system to allow further processing.

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ERP Integrations with SAP, Maximo, Infor and more

Seamless bidirectional Control of Work / Maintenance Management data

Our powerful ERP adaptors help you automate business processes between different ERP systems, and improve your analytic capabilities by connecting safety process management to operations, and operations with engineering information.

Q4 integrates with a wide range of ERP solutions including SAP, Maximo and Infor. The system supports bidirectional communication via BizTalk and REST API, plus Engica provides its own integration service where clients do not have their own middleware.

Interface with other Project Management applications such as Primavera and MS Project

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Calibration Management

Improve efficiency of your internal calibration management operations

Q4’s calibration management is designed to schedule and record the results of all your calibration activities and costs. Complete with work orders, calibration management helps minimise operator input during normal and repair operations. Each piece of equipment can be scheduled independently and easy-to-read reports and automatic notifications indicate when equipment is due for calibration.

Users can easily and quickly access all relevant information including date of last calibration and calibration due date, complete history of previous calibrations, details of equipment maintenance and repair, operating and calibration procedures and much more.

Calibration management features and benefits

Create calibration instructions and check points for instrument and control equipment

Eliminate unnecessary calibrations

Decrease labour hours and minimise costs

Streamline workflow

Maintain regulatory compliance and improve overall efficiency

Integrates with third-party calibration systems

Flexible and configurable to suit specific business requirements

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Plant Work Management

Real-time Work Planning and Scheduling across your sites

Q4 Work Management provides many features and powerful tools that allow you to go beyond just managing work. The system enables you to take control and continuously make improvements, driving you one step closer to achieving your maintenance goals.

Q4‘s workflow can be fully configured to match your requirements. The state workflow engine supports security and role management for each step to provide control including approvals.

All work activities (work detail, time, spares, resource, safety, calibration etc) are recorded in History and can be analysed using Q4 reporting facilities or by external report tools.

Using the Q4 Control of Work module Work Order tasks can be risk-assessed and safety documents can be requested, created and processed.

The Q4 Work and Safety can be used on a wide range of mobile devices, with functionality to support remote operation. All work activities are recorded in History and can be analysed using Q4 reporting facilities or by external report tools.

Q4 is fully scalable from a single site to global roll-out, and ensures secure standardisation and efficiency across all locations.

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Login and Security

How to get started on the system including:

Signing in

Your password

Changing your password

Taking care of your password

Settings in your personal profile

… plus an overview of system security and authentication with focus on practical aspects for end users.

Manage your entire isolation and de-isolation procedure

Q4 effectively manages the full isolation and de-isolation process. It guides users through the process of creating an Isolation Certificate, building isolation points and checking for conflicts or the sharing of isolations with other work. The system controls the sequence of status changes that an Isolation Certificate is moved through during its life cycle.

Authorisation, sequencing, verification and confirmation form part of its logical checking for safe work practice. Visual lockout procedures identify the required steps for locking out hazardous energy sources during the service and maintenance of machinery and equipment.

Isolation Management

Dynamic, configurable isolations built through a variety of methods

Isolation point notes and comments

Isolation conflict detection

Turn standard P&IDs into interactive isolation tools

Isolation point validation and checklists

Full key safe and lock box management from single lock box to extensive cross-locking

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Work Management

Real-time Work Planning and Scheduling across your sites

Q4 Work Management provides many features and powerful tools that allow you to go beyond just managing work. The system caters for both maintenance, operational and contractor access views, providing applicable workflow and role-based processes to streamline coordination across all disciplines. Q4 enables you to take control and continuously make improvements, driving you one step closer to achieving your safety and maintenance optimum goals.

Key features and Benefits

Custom streamlined workflow based on your procedures

Seamlessly integrate work orders from SAP and other systems

Plan work using work and safety control facilities

Organise work for routine, emergency and outages with Gantt control

Assess, assign and control work including procedures

Request necessary safety documents and perform task risk assessment

Plan schedule dates to plant release aligned to permit status

Handle and coordinate multi-work parties

View safety work packs and know their status

Supports automated alerts and notifications

Map work location, track progress and completion details

Capture results, photographs and supporting documents

Integrates across all modules including shift logs, incident and MoC

Q4‘s workflow can be fully configured to match your requirements. The state workflow engine supports security and role management for each step to provide control including approvals. Using the Q4 Control of Work module Work Order tasks can be risk-assessed and safety documents can be requested, created and processed.

The Q4 Work and Safety can be used on a wide range of mobile devices, with functionality to support remote operation. All work activities are recorded in History and can be analysed using Q4 reporting facilities or by external report tools.

Q4 is fully scalable from a single site to global roll-out, and ensures secure standardisation and efficiency across all locations.

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Inventory Management

Optimise your Inventory

Q4 gives you the capability to manage and track inventory across multiple locations with ease. Take your Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) inventory management to the next level by purchasing and receiving parts, associating parts with assets and PMs, and quickly locating inventory items.

Key features and Benefits

Optimise inventory in line with strategy and policies

Manage multi-store locations

Establish control policies using ROQ & ROL

Forecast spares/material requirements

Multi-location spares and material management is fully integrated with the work and equipment applications to optimise its critical role.

It features streamline administration by assisting procurement, engineering and stores staff to tightly manage stock, vendors, contracts and transactions. A series of processing and information facilities are provided to minimise stock holdings, consistent with your maintenance strategy.

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Management of Change (MoC) processes are used to outline, approve, execute and communicate changes within an organisation.

Q4 allows users to create MoC records, control the processes around these records and effectively manage the changes through having complete visibility at every step of the process. The system also ensures the original scope and duration of temporary changes are not exceeded without review and approval.

The MoC module can accommodate multiple types of change e.g. Equipment modifications, DCS Setting changes, Procedural changes. Each type of change can be defined on site with its own set of Authorisations, Actions and Documentation requirements.

The user-defined Authorisations allow for as many categories as you need. Examples might include; Technical, Commercial, Safety and Environment with the option of defining multiple concurrent approvals at each stage of the process. This could be multiple concurrent categories and multiple concurrent approvals per category.

Q4 improves awareness of site issues by integrating a MoC system into the real-time process within a web browser environment. Because an MOC can be created, defined, managed and tracked by site personnel in real-time, it dramatically improves site-wide communication.

Key features and Benefits

Site based definition of Authorisations, Actions and Documentation Requirements for different Types of change.

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Businesses who use ESRI’s ArcGIS (Geographical Information System) to represent data as their central dashboard, across potentially multiple applications, can also display live information from the Q4 permit workflow. This is in addition to our own Smart Map functionality.

GIS Integration features and benefits

Your site plan displayed over multi-levels in one dynamic real-time screen

Bulk status update features and link functionality to associated documents

The software is fully configurable to support each department’s unique needs, and delivers a centralised framework for integrated analysis and reporting.

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Sanction to Test (STT)

MANAGE YOUR EQUIPMENT TEST PROCEDURE

Sanction to Test (STT) ensures that tests are not performed without all issued permits being surrendered for increased safety.

Sanction to Test certificate controls release of isolations

Isolation points can be selected for removal

Validations between permits and Sanction to Test

Seamlessly integrates with other documents in Q4

If required, the Isolation and Certificate can be configured to work with a Sanction to Test or Equipment Testing Certificate to control the release of isolations for testing in a safe manner.

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ERP Integrations

Seamless bidirectional Control of Work / Maintenance Management

Integration of financial information is critical to the successful management of your operations.

Q4 integrates the infinite number of processes a company operates with, saving both time and money. The system’s bidirectional Control of Work / maintenance management integration ensures no duplicate information input is required when using multiple applications.

Engica provides a Finance REST API that supports ODATA and support for message queues. This allows integration with third party middleware such as BizTalk.

Engica also provides its own integration service where clients do not have their own middleware.

Benefits of ERP and Finance integration

Generate Work Orders from your maintenance system, update Q4 Permits and send data back, allowing for real time planning and work execution

View all Work items in graphical formats within Q4

SIMOPS help ensure compliance and increase safety by automating exception handling, approvals, and full audit trails across multiple applications

Flexible and configurable to suit specific business requirements

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Document Managememt System Integration

Improve work quality with direct access to accurate plant information

Documentation is one of your most valuable assets and drives opportunities throughout your organisation.

Q4 has the capability to interface with your existing Document Management system (DMS) and allow for documents (and their correct versions) to be linked with Work Specifications, Work Orders etc. This facilitates work preparation and supports the safe and efficient execution of work.

Thank you for your interest in Q4 Control of Work ePTW software

Please select the downloadable files you require and then complete the form below and click the Submit button. Your chosen file(s) will then appear below this form for you to download immediately. Not only will you have instant access to your chosen information, but we will also send you a copy direct to your email.

Please be aware that we only accept genuine business email addresses in our Information Centre. If you only have a personal email account, please contact us to discuss your requirements.